This roasted beet salad with kale and maple balsamic combines some of my favorite flavors into one pretty, colorful side dish. The kale is massaged before the salad is assembled, which removes the bitterness and makes it more tender. Add goat cheese (or feta!), homemade maple-candied pecans, and a delicious maple balsamic dressing – and prepare to be delighted. This salad is a crowd pleaser!
Hanukkah is all about fried foods, like latkes and sufganiyot. While frying is a symbolic way to celebrate the holiday, it’s also a surefire way to pack on the pounds. To offset all of that fried, fatty holiday goodness, I created this festive roasted beet salad with kale. Wintery greens like kale pack a major nutritional punch. I never used to like kale, but after I discovered the kale massage, it quickly became my favorite leafy green. Massaging removes the natural bitterness of the kale, making it a more neutral base for your favorite salad toppings. I’m now a big fan of kale, and it provides the perfect base for this delicious roasted beet salad.
How to Make Roasted Beet Salad with Kale
To make this salad, I roast a few beets— a combination of red and golden, to make the salad more colorful. If you’ve never tried roasting beets, you really must… it brings out their natural juicy sweetness. If you’re in a hurry, pre-roasted beets from the market will work just fine. Next, I candy whole pecans on the stovetop using maple syrup and a touch of cayenne spice, for heat. I whip up a simple maple balsamic salad dressing– olive oil, rich balsamic vinegar, real maple syrup, and lemon juice for brightness. Finally, I sprinkle the whole salad with goat cheese or crumbled feta, which offsets the sweetness of the salad with a lovely salty touch. If you’d rather keep this salad dairy-free or vegan, not to worry. It will taste great without the cheese, and there are also some good vegan cheese products to sub out if you wish.
This roasted beet salad with kale and maple balsamic will add a colorful and flavorful addition to your holiday table. Of course, if you’re celebrating Hanukkah, it will also help to mitigate some of latke-induced calorie guilt! It’s full of vitamins and nutrients, but it doesn’t taste like health food. If you’re anti-kale, like I used to be, feel free to use fresh spinach or your favorite dark salad greens– just skip the massage/wilting step in the recipe.
My favorite part of this roasted beet salad is the hint of maple and balsamic flavors in every bite… so good. Enjoy!
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Roasted Beet Salad with Kale and Maple Balsamic
Ingredients
- 6 small roasted beets (red and/or golden)
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, divided
- Dash of cayenne
- 1 bunch curly kale
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (good quality)
- 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional – you may omit or substitute vegan goat cheese or vegan feta)
NOTES
Instructions
- For instructions on how to roast beets, click here. Peel your roasted beets, then slice them into wedges. Set aside.
- Place the pecans in a small nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour 1/4 cup maple syrup over the pecans and bring to a boil over medium. Sprinkle the pecans evenly with a dash of cayenne. Let the syrup boil for 1-2 minutes over medium, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid evaporates.
- Pour the pecans immediately onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. Spread them out with a spoon into a single layer. Let them cool and dry out.
- Meanwhile, clean your kale, pat dry, and cut the leaves from the tough stalks. The stalks are not needed for this recipe; you can save them to sauté later, if you wish. Cut the leaves into small pieces and place in a salad bowl. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Massage the kale with clean hands for 2-3 minutes till it wilts and loses its bitter flavor.
- In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and lemon juice. Whisking briskly and constantly, drizzle the olive oil very slowly into the mixture till the dressing is emulsified and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the roasted beet wedges and crumbled feta or goat cheese to the salad.
- Break apart the candied pecans into small pieces.
- Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the salad.
- Serve each portion of salad drizzled with a bit of dressing (about 1 tablespoon per serving).
Nutrition
We made this for chag and it was outstanding!!! One of the best salads we’ve ever made. Thanks so much.
I love your ingredients Question Could I use arugula instead of kale? Thank you
Yes! 🙂
This recipe is so delicious and beautiful that it’s now part of our Thanksgiving dinner! Thanks so much for creating this Torey!
Love love love this salad recipe!
Awesome… thanks!
Made this salad to go with roasted chicken last night. Very good. Had never done kale like that before or roasted beets like that. Usually just peal, cut them up in wedges but your way is easy, easy to peal and really less mess. Thank so much. Eric
Hi Tori. This looks awesome. I’m not fond of kale; is there a substitute? For some reason, I don’t think spinach will work. Thanks!
I think spinach would actually work fine, or mixed spring greens. Just skip the massage if you use either of those options as it’s not needed.
The link to how to roast beets doesn’t work.
Thank you Claudia! I fixed the link. Here it is for reference: https://toriavey.com/how-to-roast-beets/
Great salad even without the pecans. However I can’t pin it to save it. Am I missing something?
Hi Lori! You can pin it using the Pinterest button on the left side of the screen. If you can’t see them, let me know if you are on desktop or mobile and which browser you are using so I can troubleshoot!
Terrific salad. We now are exploring all types of kale salads and this is a favorite thus far. Making it again and again.
this salad was awesome.i used raw shaved beets,and honey instead of maple syrup.and it was just perfect.loved it.
I am now inlove with this salad. Perfect for my diet plan and for keeping low calories meals. Thanks for giving me an idea.
I mix the roasted beats withe the vinegar, lemon and caramelized pecans and let it absorb the flavors before adding the kale. Yum!
I just tried this New Year’s Day–it was delicious! I never knew how to prepare beets, so the roasting tips really helped. My husband loved the salad, and our toddler enjoyed the beets dipped in the dressing. Love trying new dishes on your site!
Awesome Jennifer! Thanks for reporting back 🙂
It is so pretty, isn’t it? I’ve never seen golden beets before! I first thought they were sliced persimmons. Very nice and vibrant salad!
This salad is so pretty! Love it!
I love this salad! Lots of great flavor, color, and texture. Any salad with candied nuts and goat cheese gets a thumbs up in my book!
I cannot wait to try this. I absolutely love Kale. Where do you come up with all your fantastic recipes?